Shine Night Full Walk Marathon

 It's been a week since we completed our Shine Night full marathon walk in London to raise crucial funds for Cancer Research UK, which happens every year. This friendly event offers a 10k, half, and full marathon, encouraging participants to take it easy and just finish, although many of us set personal goals for completion.

Last year, I completed the half marathon with friends in approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes, I was contemplating whether to join this year or not. But when one of my friends from Maidenhead showed interest in the marathon, she convinced me to register. Initially, she discussed signing up for the 10k walk with a few of her friends, but I felt that wouldn't be challenging enough, so I persuaded herself and her team to go for the half marathon. We signed up, but a week before the event, my friend had to withdraw due to medical reasons. That’s when I checked with my previous walking partner, Pooja, who had also registered for the half marathon. It felt like fate because when I spoke to her, she mentioned she was now upgrading to the full marathon and was looking for someone to join her. So, I upgraded as well, and we both got the 7:20 PM slot. Surprisingly, on the same day, our friend Jayashree contacted Pooja, curious about the marathon, and ended up registering for the full marathon too. Both were confident, though I had some hesitation.

On marathon day, the 21st of September, I made sure to get a good night’s sleep and load up on carbs, drinking lots of water throughout the day. I even did a 5k park run in the morning with my kids, unsure if I should run, but ended up joining them, adding another 5k to my total for the day. After preparing meals for the family, I ate my lunch at 3 PM and tried to nap, but nerves kept me awake. Although I had never attempted 43 km (26 miles), I was confident I could finish it with the support of my friends. I left home at 5:30 PM and met Pooja and Jayashree at Battersea Park. Their energy and excitement boosted my confidence. We collected our race kits, did a warm-up, took some photos, and headed to the starting line. I suggested we aim for 5 km per hour, keep a fast pace until 20 km, slow down between 20-30 km, and then pick up the pace again. We were determined to finish in under 9 hours.

We set off at a brisk pace, weaving through the crowds, and the route was well-marked, though the distance was tracked in miles instead of kilometers (a total of 26 miles). Despite chatting about work, India, and our kids, the first 5 miles felt mentally slow. Jayashree kept reminding us that after 13 miles, it would be all downhill mentally. Pooja, being the fastest, pushed the pace, and a couple of times, Jayashree and I had to jog to catch up with her. Unlike last year, we didn’t stop much for photos, which probably saved us a few minutes, though we still had to wait at pedestrian crossings. To speed up, we even used the Pythagorean theorem at some crossings, cutting diagonally.

Around the 10-mile mark, we all started feeling pain in our feet from the constant friction. Jayashree, a dentist by profession, suggested we take ibuprofen to ease the pain. I remembered reading in Adharanand Finn’s The Rise of the Ultra Runners that many ultra runners use anti-inflammatory drugs during races, so we decided to give it a try. Unfortunately, the relief was brief, lasting about 15 minutes. Jayashree later suggested paracetamol, but Pooja and I hesitated. Inspired by Finn’s book, I decided to push through without more painkillers, and so did the others.

We were blessed with great weather despite the typical British forecast of sun, rain, and clouds. We went up to 18 miles without rain, a gentle weather which required no layers, but then it started pouring. Pooja kindly gave us ponchos, which we wore for a couple of miles before switching to rain jackets. Walking through London through late hours, I truly understood why people say the city never sleeps—pubs were open, buses were running, and the streets were lively. As we crossed the 13-mile mark, the half marathon suddenly seemed much easier, but we still had 13 miles to go. Jayashree kept motivating us, saying it is just the home stretch now. We counted down every mile, I was checking our pace on Strava, which was steady and above target. When we saw the 25-mile marker, we couldn’t contain our excitement. Despite the pouring rain, we almost jogged the rest of the distance, holding each other as we crossed it, congratulating each other, collecting our medals around 3 AM.

At the finish line, we met some friends, but Jayashree, who had done stretches after the walk, started feeling sick and needed first aid. We stayed for a couple of hours until she felt better. Unsure how to get home, we found Uber prices too high, so we opted for public transport—bus, tube, and bus for me. I finally reached home around 7 AM, took a quick shower, and collapsed into bed.

Now that I’ve completed a full marathon, I’m confident I can do it again, with less anxiety next time. Pooja and Jayashree’s confidence and determination made the challenge achievable in about 7 hours and 45 minutes. Kudos to them for their great spirit and team attitude! Though all of us had a level of injuries that we couldn't avoid, we truly tested our endurance, both physically and mentally. 

See you next time Pooja and Jayashree and others too!

#shinewalk #teamspirit #walkmarathon